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First hang - first questions

Hey folks - well I did in fact get my HH Explorer last week, set it up in the backyard and slept Saturday night. I got up four times but think that had more to do with the 4-5 "diet cokes" i had than anything else.

As I mentioned in my first post, I had never even sat in a hammock before so knew it was a gamble. Well, I was very comfortable with no issues falling asleep. Was very cool. I have a few questions, almost embarrassingly basic, but my extensive searching has not netted a clear answer...so...

Is there a right or wrong side of the hammock for torso vs legs? I presume the side guy out closer to head end is for the upper body but started doubting it when my shoulder was right at net/bottom level while there seemed to be a lot of fabric highup on the other side.

Two questions on the ridgeline:
I understood that if my ridgeline was basically level that I had the hangle about right. During he night m legs would feel a lil numb - no biggie but does that suggest I don't have I quite right?

After initial setup I lounged around quite a bit and when I got out it didn't return to the original height. The line did not see to have loosened. Does this always happen or did it have a break-in stretch?

If it helps, I used the stock webbing, a toggle/marlon hitch setup and converted straps to whoopie slings.

Yeah.. Hh is one of those asymmetrical hammocks. You sit in and lean back so your feet are closest to the zipper. If you don't have the side zip, get the mod.. ITS WORTH IT! So if you are climbing in through the "birth canal" lean back to your left and feet to the right.

Try to tweak the comfort and numbness by moving your foot end higher on the tree an inch at a time until it feels right. Also try loosening up the suspension a little or tightening it.

As far as being cool , at first get a CCF pad in there to lay on until you can save the money for an underquilt. Or make one.

Yup they stretch. I'm 220 and noticed the stretch in my expedition

Check out forum member SHUG. he's got a line of YouTube videos called hammock stuff for noobs or something. 10 part series I think.

Welcome! Have fun and happy hanging

"It's better to keep your mouth shut and let people THINK your stupid than to open it and PROVE it" - SFC Kagawa, United States Army (my old platoon SGT)
*Originally -Abraham Lincoln 16th president of US (1809 -1865)

The HHs sleep head left, feet right. You will have a view from one side, not the other, so keep that in mind when setting up. I have a homemade hammock too, where I did the knotty mod (stretch side mod) the other way to that I slept with my head right, feet left, which I like better--not enough to get rid of the HH though.

Yeah.. Hh is one of those asymmetrical hammocks. You sit in and lean back so your feet are closest to the zipper. If you don't have the side zip, get the mod.. ITS WORTH IT! So if you are climbing in through the "birth canal" lean back to your left and feet to the right.

I like the bottom entry myself. I have an eno I climb into, and without the mosquito net, climbing into the top is fine. But the bottom entry works nicely. With a properly hung under quilt, you sit in, lift feet, the quilt snaps into place, and you're ready for a night's sleep. Getting out in the morning is like being born... feet come out, scootch forward, touch ground, and plop the rest of the way out.

Getting out in the morning is like being born... feet come out, scootch forward, touch ground, and plop the rest of the way out.

Wasn't trashing the bottom entry at all. I like it for ease of hitting that sweet spot first time go. I also enjoy reaching out the zipper side to grab things in the night ("go jug", extra sweater, whatever is next to my hammock but not in with me, coffee in the morning to.. Shug style )

Last edited by lattie11581; 05-14-2013 at 23:43.

"It's better to keep your mouth shut and let people THINK your stupid than to open it and PROVE it" - SFC Kagawa, United States Army (my old platoon SGT)
*Originally -Abraham Lincoln 16th president of US (1809 -1865)

Wasn't trashing the bottom entry at all. I like it for ease of hitting that sweet spot first time go. I also enjoy reaching out the zipper side to grab things in the night ("go jug", extra sweater, whatever is next to my hammock but not in with me, coffee in the morning to.. Shrug style )

Agreed with this.

Bottom entry is great, especially for when you've got the tarp pitched close to the hammock, and/or when you've got lots of bugs zooming around your head.

And agree that the ability to reach in/out of the hammock is wonderful.